Undaunted Courage : Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Opening of the American West (Paperback)

by Stephen Ambrose (Author) "From the west-facing window of the room in which Meriwether Lewis was born on August 18, 1774, one could look out at Rockfish Gap, in..." (more)
Key Phrases: little thief, white pirogue, immence herds, United States, Nez Percé, Missouri River (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
A biography of Meriwether Lewis that relies heavily on the journals of both Lewis and Clark, this book is also backed up by the author's personal travels along Lewis and Clark's route to the Pacific. Ambrose is not content to simply chronicle the events of the "Corps of Discovery" as the explorers called their ventures. He often pauses to assess the military leadership of Lewis and Clark, how they negotiated with various native peoples and what they reported to Jefferson. Though the expedition failed to find Jefferson's hoped for water route to the Pacific, it fired interest among fur traders and other Americans, changing the face of the West forever. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Publishers Weekly
Ambrose has written prolifically about men who were larger than life: Dwight Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, Colonel Custer. Here he takes on half of the two-headed hero of American exploration: Meriwether Lewis. Ambrose, his wife and five children have followed the footsteps of the Lewis and Clark expedition for 20 summers, in the course of which the explorer has become a friend of the Ambrose family; the author's affection shines through this narrative. Meriwether Lewis, as secretary to Thomas Jefferson and living in the White House for two years, got his education by being apprenticed to a great man. Their friendship is at the center of this account. Jefferson hand-picked Lewis for the great cross-country trek, and Lewis in turn picked William Clark to accompany him. The two men shook hands in Clarksville, Ohio, on October 14, 1803, then launched their expedition. The journals of the expedition, most written by Clark, are one of the treasures of American history. Here we learn that the vital boat is behind schedule; the boat builder is always drunk, but he's the only one available. Lewis acts as surveyor, builder and temperance officer in his effort to get his boat into the river. Alcohol continues to cause him problems both with the men of his expedition and later, after his triumphant return, in his own life, which ended in suicide at the age of 35. Without adding a great deal to existing accounts, Ambrose uses his skill with detail and atmosphere to dust off an icon and put him back on the trail west. History Book Club main selection; BOMC split selection; QPB alternate; author tour.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 521 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster; 1st edition (June 2, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684826976
• ISBN-13: 978-0684826974
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.1 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (362 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,293 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #1 in	Books > History > United States > 19th Century > Old West
  #1 in	Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( J ) > Jefferson, Thomas
  #7 in	Books > Science > Earth Sciences > Geography

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

118 of 120 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars So good, you'd hardly know you were reading history., April 11, 2000

By	R. Kent Bailey (Tampa, FL United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is the most exciting piece of non fiction I've ever read. Ambrose makes the reader feel as though they are right there with the expedition as they battle disease, starvation, treacherous whitewater, hostile indians and the environment itself as they struggle to cross the unexplored interior of the United States. The Lewis & Clark expedition I learned about in school was seriously lacking in excitement when compared to this chronicle.

The beginning of the book is somewhat tedious as Ambrose spends what seems like far too many pages listing off the various supplies obtained and preparations made for the voyage. Once the expedition begins, however, the book is hard to put down.

The extensive use of the actual diaries of the expedition members lends a vibrance to the descriptions of the various tribes of Indians, wildlife, and natural obstacles encountered. The diaries also offer a glimpse into the personalities of these famous figures and their crew. The holes left by the diaries and other historical documents are deftly filled in by Ambrose. He further colors the characters, settings, and situations with well grounded inference.

Additionally, the author's detailed treatment of the political situation in the United States at the time places this journey in great historic and political perspective.

Highly recomended!

43 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Journey Through The Past, February 7, 2002

By A Customer

"Undaunted Courage" is a wonderful journey through the past. It is detail and detail, mixed with adventure and adventure, with a pinch of suspense added in to create the feeling that you are there. The book has led me to a keen interest in Thomas Jefferson and his many little known but great contributions to America, which in turn led me to another journey through the past involving Thomas Jefferson in the book "West Point" by Norman Remick. Like "Undaunted Courage", "West Point" is another monumental feat of research. I have to thank Mr. Ambrose for writing like the good and interesting teacher who stimulates the student and opens the doorways to further knowledge.

39 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Agree With Author Of "West Point", December 30, 2001

By A Customer

I agree with the prior reviewer Norman Remick who is the author of "West Point" (I looked him up), another book about Thomas Jefferson and Something, who said that Stephen Ambrose is the best "historical non-fiction novelist". It's a whole new category of novel based on historical facts, not on ones own imagination. Ambrose is a master at it.